Material container



May 19, 1936. E, E. ROBINSON MATERIAL CONTAINER Filed June 22, 1934 2Sheets-Sheet l Emiilffihhson I Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to material containers and the method of making thesame, and particularly to containers such as are commonly known ascollapsible tubes, and are adapted to contain and dispense paste orother semi-solid or fluent, or other extrudible, expellable ordispensable materials or substances.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive container of this character provided with a materialdispensing or discharge opening, and having a closure for said openingthat can be readily and conveniently manipulated and moved to opened andto closed positions by a single movement, and by the use of the samehand in which the container or tube is held, if desired.

Another object of my invention is to so construct and assemble the partsthat a captive closure is provided and is so mounted that the necessityfor forming screw threads, or for providing other difficult formations,upon either the container or the closure, is obviated, and that allparts and elements can be readily and cheaply manufactured and can bequickly and inexpensively assembled.

Yet another object is to provide a method of making material containersof this character from a single piece of material, and in a singleoperation, without the necessity for cutting or forming screw threads,or other recessed parts or portions, and with which the material feedingand the formed container removing operations are readily accomplishedwith great facility and speed, and without the use of complicated dies,molds or other mechanism or apparatus, as the container is readily andcompletely formed with a single operation, and the formed receptacle isreadily removable by straight drawing or pulling operation.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, my invention includes certain novel featuresof construction and combinations of parts which will be'hereinafter setforth in connection with the drawings andthen pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective illustrating a container constructedin accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken longitudinally through thecontainer and closure structures.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 taken substantially at right anglesthereto.

Fig. 4' is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified construction.

Figs. 5 and-6 are sectional views similar to Fig. 2 illustrating stillother modifications.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the container with theclosure structure removed.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through oneadaptation of forming die structure that can be employed in making thecontainer.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 taken substantially at right anglesthereto.

As here illustrated, the invention is embodied with a collapsible tubeor container l, and the body portion of this container can be of anydesired shape, size andform'ation, to be closed by the clamping'strip 2,or by any other suitable means or in any other suitable manner. The headend 3 is here illustrated'as'being of the usual short conical form, buthere again any desired and suitable form and construction can beresorted to.

A substantially segmental shaped neck or extension 4 is provided on'thishead end 3, withthe segment representing approximately one-quarter of acircle, and with one of the flat sides of the segment joined'orconnected with the head end 3 and the other fiat side extending in aplane substantially parallel with the axial line of the body portion I.A passage or opening 5 is provided through this extension 4 in a linesubstantially parallel with the outwardly extending flat face, and withits outer end opening through the curved face of the segmental neck orextension. This passage 5 can be made to be substantially circular,rectangular, triangular, or of any desired form in cross section, tothus give a corresponding shape to a ribbon of paste or other materialextruded therethrough, or the opening or passage 5 can be made in a formand shape suitable for discharge of powdered, granular, or other fluentmaterial. This passage can be made with the sides substantiallyparallel, or can b'etapered or flared inwardly or outwardly.

The segmental'neck or extension 4 is made of sufficient width to givesome thickness on each side of thepassage 5, and around the arcuatedcorners of the segment form grooves 6 and 1 are provided, these groovesbeing here illustrated as being substantially of angular recessed form.On opposite sides, and preferably slightly offcenter of the segment, thebearing recesses 8 and 9 are provided in the neck or extension 4.

A closuremember I0, which ispreferably made Cal of a phenol condensateproduct, or of other suitable moldable or formable material, has itsinner face II formed to substantially fit the central portion of thearcuate outer face of the neck or extension 4, and this closure memberhas at its sides the flange portions I2 and I3 which fit into thegrooves 6 and I to guide the closure member to travel upon and over thearcuate outer face of the neck or extension 4. On its outer side, thisclosure III has a groove I4 formed to extend transversely, and asubstantially U-shaped bail or mounting member I5, of wire or othersuitable material, is adapted to have its middle portions received inthe groove or recess I4, and has its end portions I6 and I1 bentinwardly as bearing pintles to fit within the bearing openings 8 and 9.

With the parts constructed and mounted in the manner as shown anddescribed the closure member II! can be moved or slid back and forthperipherally upon the arcuate outer face of the segment portion 4, theflanges I2 and I3 traveling in guide grooves 6 and I serving to hold theclosure member against lateral displacement, and the bail or mountingmember I5 serving to retain the closure member in the proper fittedrelation upon the outer segmental face, and to yet permit free swingingmovement thereof. If the bearing openings 8 and 9 be formed slightly offfrom the true center of the segment, and within the angle of the twotheoretical faces of the quarter circle, the closure member ID will beso mounted and held that in the middle portion of the curved face thefrictional contact is eased, whereas toward each extreme of movement ofthe closure over the arcuate face, the pressure will be increased. Suchconstruction and assembly may have considerable advantages in insuringready and easy operation and movement of the closure member to theopened and the closed positions, and in drawing down the closure membersecurely over the outer end of the passage 5 when the closure member isin the passage closing position.

The provision of the recess I4 forms transverse roughening upon theouter face of the closure member ID, and thus provides a finger or thumbgrip so that the finger or thumb can be placed against the outer side ofthe closure ID, after the manner indicated in Fig. 2, and this closurecan be readily moved to the desired opened and closed positions. Withthis construction, and the consequent manner of operation, it ispossible for the user to hold the body I of the tube or other containerin one hand, and by using the thumb or one of the fingers of the holdinghand, the closure I0 can be quickly manipulated with greatest facility,to open and close the passage 5.

In Fig. 4 I have which the container I,

illustrated an adaptation in the neck or extension 4 and the closuremember III are of substantially the form and construction set forthabove. In this adaptation the mounting member or bail I5a has the middleor cross portion thereof curved or bent inwardly to provide a springsection I5b bearing within the recess I4 to thus exert resilientpressure upon the closure member ID to hold this member in contact withthe curved face of the segmental neck or extension.

As shown in Fig. 5, the closure member Ifla can be made of any desiredform or shape on its outer side, and can be provided with additionalroughening formations Illb, to give a better gripping surface for thethumb or finger used to manipulate the closure. Also, if desired, theclosure member Illa can be provided with a boss or slight extension I00on its inner face to fit within the outer end of passage 5 to retain theclosure member in closed relation, and to insure a tight and completeclosure of the outer end of the passage. Where the portion I00 isresorted to, it may be found desirable to form the portion IOb to extendoutwardly beyond the normal requirements for the recess I4, asillustrated, so that greater leverage can be had in the initial forceexerted to move the closure member Illa.

While the head end 3 of the container will limit movement of the closuremember III to the opened position, it may be found desirable to providea stop 4b upon the neck or extension 4a, somewhat as shown in Fig. 6, topositively limit excessive movement of the closure member to such anextent that it can travel over and become displaced from associationwith the portion 4a.

The construction as shown and described is particularly well adapted foruse upon colllapsible tube containers, and in such adaptation thesegmental neck or extension 4 is desirably formed integral with the headend 3 and the body portion I. It is the purpose of my invention toprovide a method of making such containers, and in Figs. 8 and 9 I haveillustrated an apparatus that can be used for this purpose. As shown,the die block I8 has a recess I9 therein conforming substantially to theouter shape and size of the body I, and at the inner end of this recessI9 the die block is formed to follow the form and contour of the headend 3 and the neck or extension 4. A pin extension is provided in thebottom of the recess I9 in proper position to form the opening 5. Aplunger or male die member 2| is provided to be manipulated by anydesired or suitable press or punch means to travel into the recess I9,and as a suitable block or ingot of material 22, which can be aluminum,block tin, or other suitable fluent metal or material is contacted bythe plunger or male die member 2 I, the material will be forced into theinner end of recess I9 to thus die form the desired shape and contour ofthe portions 3 and 4, and as the movement of the member 2I is continuedthe excess of material 22 will be extruded around the sides of therecess I9 to flow up along the sides of the member 2|, and inconsequence the skirt or body portion I of the receptacle will be formedin a single operation with the head portion 3 and the neck or extensionportion 4. The pin portion 20 can be associated to be carried by themember 2I, if this is found preferable, and this pin portion can beslightly tapered, to permit and allow more ready removal of the materialof the formed container. If the die forming operation leaves a thinlayer of material within the passage 5, over the end of pin 29, this canbe readily removed by cutting, punching or by any other suitableoperation.

In order that the receptacle can be entirely and completely formed in asingle operation, it is desirable that the bearing openings 8 and 9 beformed therein, and with this in mind pins 23 and 24 can be provided, asshown in Fig. 9, to project at proper points into the formed inner endof recess I9, so that the fluent material will be formed around thesepins and the bearing openings will thus be provided. In order that theformed container can be readily withdrawn from the mold or diestructure, the pins 23 and 24 can be readily and expeditiously withdrawnor slid out sufficiently to clear the side of the recess l9, by means oflevers 25. Through various wellknown trains of linkage, lever or geartrains, the levers 25 can be actuated to move pins 23 and 24 into therecess l9 at the proper interval before the fluent material is flowedinto the die, or to penetrate the formed material in a subsequentoperation, and these pins can be withdrawn in the proper interval topermit and allow free withdrawal of the formed container from the recessI9 as the member 2| is withdrawn, or as a subsequent operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a materialcontainer having a closure member readily operated by the use of asingle thumb or finger, and which does not require complicatedoperations, such as threading or the like, upon either the container orthe closure member; that the closure member is permanently associatedwith the container tobe readily movable to opened and closed positionsand to yet be retained against loss; and, that with the construction andthe method set forth the container is formed by substantially a singleoperation and is. completed in a unitary die or mold, without thenecessity of having separable die parts to form screw threads, orwithout the necessity of any mechanism or operation to provide or formthread portions, grooves, or other special recessed formations, uponeither the container or the closure.

While I have herein shown and described only certain specificembodiments of my improved material container and of the method ofmaking the same, it will be appreciated that changes and variations canbe made in the form, construction, arrangement and assembly of theparts, and

in the manner of constructing the same, without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A material container comprising, a body having a head end carrying asubstantially segmental extension disposed with one side of the segmentcoinciding with the end and the other side of the segment angularlydisposed outwardly from the end, said extension having a dischargepassage opening through the arcuate face thereof and being provided withsubstantially squared rabbeted guide ways at the edges of said face, aclosure member having one face thereof shaped to fit the arcuate faceand the guide ways thereof mounted to slidably move on the arcuate faceto positions to close the outer end of the passage and to clear thesame, said closure member being freely movable radially from the arcuateface of the extension, and a substantially U-shaped mounting memberhaving its ends swingably held adjacent to the angle of the segmentalextension and having its middle portion engaging with the closure memberto hold said member in proper operative position.

2. A material container comprising, a collapsible body having a head atone end provided with a segmental extension and having a dischargepassage in the extension opening through the arcuate wall thereof, saidextension being provided with substantially squared rabbeted guidewaysat the side edges of the arcuate face and having bearing openingssubstantially at the center at which the arcuate face is formed, aclosure member provided with a centrally grooved arcuate face to fit andbe slidably movable upon the arcuate face of the extension and alongsaid guideways and to be freely movable radially from said arcuate face,and a substantially U-shaped mounting member having its ends swingablymounted in the bearing openings and having its middle portion engagingacross the closure member to hold said closure member in sliding contactwith the arcuate face of the extension while the guideways hold saidclosure member against lateral displacement.

3. A material container comprising, a body having a unitary head at oneend provided with a unitary segmental extension substantiallyrectilinear in cross section, said segmental extension terminating atone end of its arcuate face at the end of the body portion and beingprovided with a discharge passage opening through the arcuate walladjacent to the other end, guideways of substantially squared form ateach of the side edges of the arcuate face of the segmental extension, aclosure member provided With an arcuate face having a central groove andside flanges to fit the arcuate face and the guideways of the segmentalextension, said 010- sure member being mounted upon the arcuate face ofthe segmental extension for free peripheral sliding movement thereon andbeing held against lateral displacement by the side extensionstravelling in the guideways while the closure member is freely bodilymovable in a substantially radial direction from the arcuate wall, saidextension being provided with hearing openings on opposite sidesadjacent to the angle of the segmental form, and a substantiallyU-shaped mounting member having its yoke portion fitted over the outerside of the closure member and having its legs swingably mounted in thebearing openings to thus hold and retain the closure member to travelupon the arcuate wall of the extension and against separation therefrom.

EMMETT E. ROBINSON.

